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PRAYER IS STRONGEST WHEN IT'S SPONTANEOUS AND ANSWERED WITH A SENSE OF HIS PRESENCE

[adapted from Michael Brown's The God of Miracles]

How do we secure what God has earmarked for us, and especially how do we obtain what we need to fulfill our missions?

We pray and let the Holy Spirit inspire us. He does so consciously and through our subconscious. Prayer is the language of miracles, and the more we do it, the more we click into the rhythm of miracles. Reading the Bible aloud, reciting the Scriptural Rosary, and attending Mass are among the most effective for me. Most potent are prayers that go directly to Jesus. Asking Christ to be your Savior, and then speaking with Him as if He were right there, establishing a personal relationship, will take you to a new level.

Repetitious prayers, especially ones said when we’re paying close attention to the words, count for much, in the way that God counts any acknowledgement; they open doors, even when they are said a bit absently; God takes note of such prayers because they indicate that at least we have Him on our minds! Pray in any way you are comfortable.

But spontaneous prayer from deep within is most effective. That comes from the heart. The more the heart is involved, the stronger the outcome. You must go to Christ. You have to treat Him as a friend. He doesn’t wish any distance from you. If it is a set prayer, pay attention to the words. Pray as slowly as you can. Envision the Lord. Envision the saints around you. Project yourself to God. Feel the angels.

Let it all hang out. Pray the "prayer of desperation" (in other words, put your whole heart into it). Christ wants you to spill your troubles to Him in more detail than you relate even to your spouse. Involve Him in every word, decision, and struggle, pleading for the knowledge to know His Will. The Lord helps every person on earth, but those who pray open the door to that storehouse.

Conduct a mental dialogue with Jesus. “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus,” says 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -- and to do this requires that we think of God in all we do. He wants to be a part of all, and when we consult Him, with eyes upward, in a way that is constant, we are involving Him in every aspect of our lives and finding the rhythm of His blessings.

We can pray everywhere, in the kitchen, in the car, or even while we are shopping, and we are fulfilled when we end up cooking with an extra delicious touch or buying just the right gift or getting to where we need to go on time. When my wife went to decorate our children’s rooms, she prayed over the details and it came together beautifully and inexpensively and in a way that she could not have organized herself. The same has occurred when we have gone on trips.

We must go to God for everything, invoking Him in every thought and activity. This makes us partners with Him. How do we tell if we’re partners? We know when something is right because the Holy Spirit grants us the knowing, and this provides serenity. Instead of allowing in anxiety, instead of tossing and turning, we need to take a deep breath, relax, and pray through Jesus.

Yearning for God, seeing Him in everything, and thanking Him at every juncture creates an open channel.

Gee, Father, please help me, I really have to make this decision… or settle this issue…or get this job…

Heart talk. Heart to Sacred Heart.

Talk to Him as you would a buddy, and wait for Him to prompt you; He will do so with the sense of proximity, which is to say peace.

[resources: The God of Miracles]

[Michael Brown retreat in Connecticut]

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